Staying Afloat
by Floating.like.a.Feather
Summary: After her parents broke up, Sakura moves in with her mother, to help her take care of the 2 younger siblings, as well as the baby on the way. After a fight between her older twin and her mother, Akane leaves the comforts of a mother to their father, who lives across town. Will Sakura be able to stay afloat after this storm of change, or will she just silently sink? Sejiuurou x OC.


~~~A/N~~~

When I previously (accidentally) posted this, I hadn't done much research on the school Sakura is going to, so there is a minor UA here. It's a co-ed school, not all boys, ^_^.

Enjoy!

Chapter One

"I will not go to the same school as her!" Akane yelled, standing abruptly up from the table.

Both me and my mother stopped eating, and my rice fell off my fork. "Excuse me?" I asked quietly, bunching my eyebrows together, confused. "It's not like we're going to see much of each other anyways. With you being busy with sports, you've dropped down a couple classes."

Akane fumed at my bluntness, and looked at my mother for support. "Mother! Did you just hear what she said about me? She literally just called me stupid!" She complained, waving her arm at me.

"Another word out of you, Akane, and I'll send you back to your father's residency!" She threatened harshly, making Akane flinch. "I don't want to do this, Akane, but you started this. Sakura did nothing to deserve this."

Akane threw her food onto the table, letting it splash and fall everywhere. "I'm leaving! I'm going to live with dad, whether you want me or not! I'm not going to Samesuka Academy!" Akane told us, turning on her heal.

"Akane Shinozaki!" Our mother yelled, standing up from the table as well, and following my stubborn, hard-headed older twin out onto the street.

I sighed, placing my elbow on the table, and cradling my face in my palm. Me and my sister are fraternal, Akane being tall, model-thin, and incredibly athletic. On the other hand, I'm no more than 5 foot 4, a total clutz, and fail at anything involving more muscular effort than walking. Okay, the last part isn't totally true, but ever since I tried keeping up with my sister years ago, and failed horrendously. I've always been my mother's favorite, and my father always favored my sister because he could talk sports, and throw a ball around with her.

My mother is a company manager, and is quite successful, managing to get me into the academy, with the help of my high marks. She had a harder time getting Akane in because of her drastically low marks, but she got enrolled there.

Too bad she threw away the chance to go to such a prestigious school just so she didn't have to be near me, I thought bitterly.

My sister left me and my mother is a state when we still needed her help. Our two younger sisters, Mia and Keiko, were not handling the divorce well, and would go on little tantrums about the smallest thing because they wanted to see 'daddy' again, and sometimes they would start screaming about how 'daddy' was being really mean to our mother. Keiko was the least temper tantrum-ish and was really excited for a little baby brother, since when my parents broke up, my mother was just pregnant, and now she is 8 months along. She plans to work until the baby is born, and it'll be during summer break, so I'll be able to help.

I looked at the bag my mother had given me, which contained my uniform. It was just a simple white pleated skirt with black edging, and a white jacket with similar edging. The crest of the school was placed on the breast pocket, and the whole outfit was completed with a black button-up blouse. I sighed, picking up the stiff articles of clothing, not yet softened with the wear and tear of everyday life.

"She's already gone." My mother announced bitterly, walking into the room, throwing her arms in the air. "Already left to go live with her idiot of a father. He'll probably not even be able to support her, and come crawling back to me for financial help!"

"That you won't give him." I deadpanned, knowing how much my mother could give if my father just hinted it was for Akane.

"Well, sweetie, if it's for-"

"Akane? It won't be, and you know that. Father is addicted to poker, betting, beer, and sports. You tell me what he'll spend it on-Booze, or Akane?" I asked bluntly, sounding a little harsher than I wanted.

"Sakura..." My mother said, looking rather defeated, and sad.

I sighed, and picked up my bowl silently, and cleaning up the mess Akane had made, and put her bowl in the sink as well. Mia had come over to watch me wash the dishes when I was halfway done, and skirted off when I asked about how her homework.

"Sakura, I'm leaving soon. Get changed into your uniform, and get going to school. I know we're only a minute's walk away, but first impressions are always key. And you should find some friends this year." My mother tried to reason, leaning against the frame of the pocket door.

"Maybe." I responded, grabbing a towel to dry the dishes, which made it seem a little like I was ignoring her.

She reached for my arm, and grabbed it firmly, making her look at me. "You can leave the dishes to air dry. Now listen to me, Sakura." She said dryly, not pleased with my attitude. "Go get changed and ready for school. Drop off Mia and Keiko at their schools, and then go to yours. You'll have plenty of time to get your bearings at your new school if you leave now. Now, please, go. For me."

I frowned, shaking my hands to get the big drops of water off them, before wiping them on a towel. "Alright." I said blandly, picking up the bag with my uniform in it. Mia and Keiko tried to look into the bag as I passed them, and let out a synchronized dramatic sighs when they didn't get to see my uniform.

"Sakuwa!" Keiko complained, still have a little childhood lisp. "Wy cawn't we wook?"

I smiled at my younger sisters, and held the bag near my face. "It'll look better _on_ me, don't you think?"

They gasped, looking excited. Mia was 8, but still was very easily convinced by her older sisters-Akane and I. Keiko, being only 3 years younger then her sister Mia, followed us around like a lost puppy. If I, or Akane for that matter, suggested _anything_, Mia and Keiko were 100% on board with whatever we planned.

I quickly walked to my room and changed into my new uniform. The stark white of the jacket and skirt made my hair look like more of a light mauve then silvery-lilac. The black blouse, under the white blazer made me look sharp and the whole outfit screamed prestigious. I combed my hair back into a ponytail to high, even cheerleaders would appreciate it. I shook my head, and my side bangs fell loose. I grabbed my black flats and exited the room, shoulder bag stowed with books over my shoulder.

"You look so cute!" Mia exclaimed, running up to me, wide eyed.

I giggled at Mia's blank expression, I messed up her hair. "You all ready for your first day at the new school?" I asked, placing a hand on the shoulder strap of my bag.

"Yup!" Mia and Keiko exclaimed, and they proceeded to show me their bags. "We got all the things we need for the _whole_ school year?"

I raised my eyebrows, knowing Mia's track record with loosing pencils and pens, and even _whole _binders. The girl's smiles dropped, and they shuffled their slippers along the floor. "Alright. Get your shoes on, alrighty?" I asked, ruffling their hair again, getting disdainful looks from both of them.

They nodded, and ran to the front door to slip into their shoes.

"Aww done!" Keiko screamed at me from the front door. "Awre you weady yet?"

I nodded, dropping my flats in front of my feet and slipping into them. "I am now." I told them, patting their backs. "Now, let's go, otherwise we'll be late."

I cautiously walked into my classroom, knowing I was going to only be a couple minutes early, instead of the 10 like I planned. I walked to one of the seats near the window, a row in because many people were hoarding around the desks closer to the outside. Placing my bag down to one four desks back from the front row, I collapsed into the chair. On the way to her classroom, Mia had fallen and skinned both her knees, and made a big fuss about them, but finally shut up when I had found a bunch of band-aids in my schoolbag I still had, and slapped them onto her knees.

"Are you new here?" The question was very blunt, to my right, pulling me from my thoughts.

I looked up, seeing a girl with a huge smile on her face. "My name is Eriko, by the way." She continued, "What's yours?"

"Yes, I am new here," I answered her first question. "I'm called Sakura."

"So, are you a foreigner? You don't _look_ like your from around here. You look..." She paused in though.

"...American." She concluded, giving me a skeptical look.

I smiled, and tilted my head to one side. "Well, yes and no. My mother and father were born in America, and moved here, to be closer to my great-grandmother. I was born after that."

"So you grew up in Japan?" Eriko asked, sitting in the next desk over. "You have a little bit of an accent, though."

I nodded, knowing I did, from previous experience. "Because since I was able to talk, my parents have prided themselves with making sure I can both fluently speak and understand Japanese and English." I explained.

Eriko nodded, smiling. "Wow. Amaz-"

She was suddenly cut off by the bell ringing and the teacher running in. "Good morning class!" She greeted, rushing in with arms full of papers.

Eriko leaned over, and handed me a piece of paper. It read;

_Apparently for PE, we share a gym class with this special class for all the swim team who signed up._

_Hotties for us, all class! Lucky ducks, right? ;) I hear they all got abs!_

_-Eri-chan_

I froze up.


End file.
